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How to Get Rid of an Old Piano

By Brittany Tucker ; Updated October 04, 2017

A close-up of an old piano and sheet music.

Old, unwanted pianos take up space and can make a room look unattractive or unstylish. Consider donating or giving the old piano away instead of simply disposing of it by taking it to your local dump or landfill. According to PianoAdoption.com, “junky” or old pianos are still salvageable as they can be used by piano restorers or beginning technicians to practice repairs.

A close-up of used instruments on a small table outside of a shop.

Locate a reputable charity or organization in your area that readily accepts used musical instruments. Stop by your local church or community thrift store to see if they accept old pianos. If you can’t locate a charity or organization in your area that will accept the old piano, visit the Piano Adoption website online and list the piano for free. The Piano Adoption website helps connect individuals with unwanted pianos to people looking for free or low-cost pianos. Click the “List My Piano” tab at the top of the screen. Enter your email, town or city and state in the appropriate boxes. Enter a short description of the piano in the following box. Add a picture of your piano to the listing and click the “Submit Form” button to complete the listing.

A portrait of a professional piano mover.

Contact a professional piano moving company in your area to remove the old piano from your property and transport it to its new home or location. Visit the Piano Movers Network website online to locate a professional piano moving company in your area. On the left-hand side of the screen, under the “Piano Movers by State” header, locate and click your state from the list provided to discover professional piano moving companies in your area.

A close-up of a woman taking money out of her wallet.

Reach a payment agreement or understanding with the charity, organization or individual receiving the old piano pertaining to the costs involved to remove and transport it. The act of removing the old piano from your property and transporting it to another property will cost a bit of money upfront. You can choose to pay for the moving costs yourself, request the charity, organization or individual accepting the old piano to pay the costs or you can choose to split the costs evenly with the charity, organization or individual.

Tip

If you don’t want to donate the old piano, consider selling it instead. Place an ad in your local newspaper or list the old piano on an online site such as Craigslist. If the old piano is too far gone, consider disposing of it by taking it to your local landfill or dumpster. Piano Adoption recommends having a piano technician look over the piano to determine whether it’s salvageable. Ask your friends or family members to help you move the piano if you don’t want to hire a professional piano moving company to complete the task. Wrap the piano in old sheets or blankets to prevent any damage from occurring during transportation. Direct a helper to each side of the piano. Gently pick the piano up and off the ground and carefully slide it onto a dolly. Guide the piano out of your home. Direct the helpers to every side of the piano to keep it in place on the dolly. Attach ramps to a truck and roll the piano up and into the truck.

Warning

If the only way you're able to remove the old piano from your property is through a window, you'll need to consult with a professional moving company instead of trying to move the instrument yourself.

References

About the Author

Brittany Tucker began a freelance writing career in 2008. She specializes in home and garden topics, and her work has appeared on a variety of websites. Tucker studied English literature at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.